recreation

In a big preseason sale, Sugarloaf, Sunday River and four other New England ski resorts are being sold. And that’s just part of an $830 million deal that includes ski resorts, theme parks and other recreation properties around the country.

Animal rights have come a long way over the last century, providing, of course, we're not talking about fish. While other vertebrates have slowly been recognized as social, feeling, even sentient beings, fish remain good for three things: owning, catching and eating.

The lack of snow is disappointing for skiers, but it’s also a problem for the several thousand people who depend on Vermont ski resorts for seasonal work; many resorts are reducing hours or delaying the start of those employees, while other resorts are having to get creative in the way they put staff to work.

Break out the sandals and shorts – it’s nearly 60 degrees outside. Many folks are grabbing their irons and are out playing the links — which wouldn’t be so unusual if it wasn’t mid-December in northern New York and Vermont. But the winter sports industry is holding its breath. WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley takes a look at how the warm temperatures are affecting recreation habits.

Snow on the mountain tops causes mixed feelings among Vermonters. For some, it's a nudge toward getting the winter tires back on. For others, it's a sign that the ski and snowboard season is about to begin. But while you can't ski or ride just yet, you should already be strategizing how to get the best time on the slopes for your buck.

Ski resorts across the state are gearing up for the winter ski and riding season. But many resorts have seen a pleasant uptick in summer and fall business thanks to recent multi-million dollar investments in lodging and non-skiing activities.

Think about what it's like to ride that super-fast, double-looped, mountain-high roller coaster. Hyper-focused, you study the rickety bones of the structure while waiting your turn. You hear the clattering of the cars as they climb to the highest peak, and then watch as they plunge toward the ground with their loads of screaming passengers. Eventually the cars glide back to the starting position and it’s your turn.

This story is part of Only A Game’s “Time Show” which examines how the passage of time influences sports.

Everyone was passing us, heading up the mountain. Most were younger — 10 years, 20, 30 — willing to chat briefly about the weather, but they were also pointed in their pace. They had distance to cover. We didn’t take it personally.

It’s the middle of summer and for those lucky enough to live in a coastal state, like us here in Connecticut, that means it's beach time! Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive outing with the family, to catch a tan, or simply to get away from the daily grind, beaches offer it all.

There are many kinds of nudism - or naturism. There are people who just like doing stuff while not wearing clothes. And there are those who believe there are hygiene benefits. And people who link nudism with various utopian movements that break down barriers among people.

And there are people who believe in de-stigmatizing the parts of the human anatomy ordinarily covered by a bathing. The way this plays out in life, therefore, is that some naturists just want the chance to live in the raw in fairly private settings.

Who says New Year's Eve is the only time to make resolutions? As we head into a season of more sun and warmth, we think it might be interesting to see what pops into our heads about what we'd like more of this summer:

Alaska's voter initiative making marijuana legal takes effect Tuesday, placing Alaska alongside Colorado and Washington as the three U.S. states where recreational marijuana is legal. The new law means people over age 21 can consume small amounts of pot — if they can find it. It's still illegal to sell marijuana.

"You can still give people marijuana, but you can't buy it — or even barter for it," Alaska Public Media's Alexandra Gutierrez reports. "So, it's a pretty legally awkward spot. That probably won't stop people from acquiring it, though."

State environmental officials are setting out their legislative priorities for 2015, and there's at least one unexpected issue that's being addressed: jet packs.

The legislative proposals are wide-ranging, covering everything from stricter labeling requirements on farm products made in Connecticut to a program requiring that tire companies assume more responsibility for disposing of their products after consumer use.

Then there are water jet packs. "It's basically a James Bond-style jet pack that uses the thrust of a personal watercraft to send the rider 20 or 30 feet in the air," said Rob Klee, head of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Toronto-based engineers Cameron Robertson and Todd Reichert set out to achieve the impossible: to build the ever first human-powered helicopter. Decades of attempts by aeronautical engineers had proved unsuccessful. But for Robertson and Reichert, that was no deterrent.

People have been puzzled since the beginning. And while that might sound like a problem, it may in fact be our preferred state of being. Since the first fires needed to be lit with tinder too damp to kindle, we've been problem solving. When one problem was solved, another was found. And when seemingly, we could no longer find enough problems to satiate our appetites, we created puzzles: problems in a box; food for our minds.